SportsThe Associated PressThe Latest: Pacers' Oladipo to sit out restart of season
The Indiana Pacers will finish this season without Victor Oladipo after the two-time All-Star decided to sit out because of the risk of re-injuring his right knee. Earlier this week, Oladipo told reporters he was still debating whether to join his teammates in Orlando. ''We totally respect and understand Victor's decision to not play in the restart of the NBA's season,'' Pacers president of basketball operations Kevin Pritchard said Friday in a statement.
SportsYahoo SportsLakers assistant Lionel Hollins, Pelicans assistant Jeff Bzdelik won’t attend restart due to COVID-19
Both Lionel Hollins and Jeff Bzdelik will sit out of the NBA’s restart this month, as they are both at a higher risk of contracting the coronavirus.
SportsAFP NewsEarly results reveal 31 MLB players tested positive for COVID-19
A total of 31 players tested positive for the coronavirus in Major League Baseball's first round of mass testing to prepare for the start of the delayed season. The league and the players' union announced the results Friday as teams resumed training for the first time since the global pandemic shutdown spring training on March 12. The 1.2 percent positive rate compares favorably to the NBA which saw 5.3 percent (16 of 302) of its people test positive in announced results on June 26.
SportsAFP NewsHamilton on top in Austria as Mercedes survive protest
Lewis Hamilton began his quest for a record-equalling seventh world title by topping the times Friday as Formula One roared back with a full day's practice and an official technical protest of his Mercedes car at the belated season-opening Austrian Grand Prix. Three months after the cancelled traditional curtain-raiser in Australia, and six months on from the last race, it was business as usual from the dominant newly-repainted 'black arrows' Mercedes men with Valtteri Bottas completing a familiar one-two as the sport re-ignited after its longest off-season. "It's great to be back," said Hamilton, who is seeking to draw level with seven-time champion Michael Schumacher in the record books.
SportsAFP NewsMercedes steering system declared legal despite Red Bull protest
Mercedes' dual-axis steering (DAS) system was declared legal in the early hours of Saturday after stewards at the Austrian Grand Prix rejected a protest by Red Bull. Just hours after seeing the Mercedes duo of six-time champion Lewis Hamilton and Valtteri Bottas top the times in practice with a resounding one-two in their newly-painted ‘black arrows’ cars, it was confirmed that Red Bull had made a formal protest against them. "The stewards consider that the DAS is a regular part of the steering system and therefore complies with the rules concerning suspensions or aerodynamic influence," said a statement released after midnight.
SportsThe Associated PressBucks, Lakers look to shed rust, be healthy for playoffs
The Milwaukee Bucks and Los Angeles Lakers have all but guaranteed themselves the top two playoff seeds and face a balancing act when the NBA returns to action. While other teams will be fighting for a postseason berth or playoff seedings when they play the final eight regular season games in Florida, the Lakers and Bucks will be looking to shake off the rust after a 4+-month hiatus wile also staying healthy. ''At least from a player's aspect, you can expect us to go out there and play as best as we can and as hard as we can during this situation,'' Bucks forward Khris Middleton said.
SportsThe Associated PressTop prospect Maker picks Howard over UCLA, Kentucky, Memphis
WASHINGTON (AP) -- Highly touted prospect Makur Maker verbally committed to Howard University on Friday, picking the Bison over college basketball powerhouses UCLA, Kentucky and Memphis.
SportsAFP NewsThiem to donate prize money from Djokovic's Belgrade event: report
World number three Dominic Thiem will donate the prize money that he won in Belgrade during the ill-fated Adria Tour, where Novak Djokovic and three other participants tested positive for coronavirus, his father was quoted by Austrian media on Friday. Thiem took part in the Belgrade leg of the exhibition event organised by Djokovic, where social distancing was minimal and matches were played in front of thousands of fans, earning a storm of criticism. Thiem's father, Wolfgang, who also trains the 26-year-old, defended Djokovic, telling Austria's Presse daily that the world number one had not broken any of Serbia's and Croatia's coronavirus rules and the tour had aimed to collect money for charity.
SportsAFP NewsNFL's Redskins to review name after sponsor threat
The Washington Redskins have launched a "thorough review" of the team's name, the NFL franchise said Friday, as sponsors stepped up pressure to scrap the moniker long criticized as racist. "In light of recent events around our country and feedback from our community, the Washington Redskins are announcing the team will undergo a thorough review of the team's name," the team said in a statement just 24 hours after stadium sponsor FedEx demanded a name change. Redskins owner Dan Snyder had long been resistant to changing the team's name -- a term for Native Americans that is seen as a slur.
SportsYahoo SportsThese NBA players are opting out of the Disney World reboot
Thabo Sefalosha is the latest NBA player to opt out of the Disney World bubble league.
SportsYahoo SportsPacers' Victor Oladipo will opt out of NBA season restart due mainly to rehab
The Pacers star suffered a torn quad tendon and played only 13 games before the NBA went on hiatus.
SportsThe Associated PressDiscourse over national anthem looms for NBA, other leagues
Rick Carlisle isn't sure what to expect from players during the national anthem when the NBA season resumes in empty arenas in Florida. ''We support our players 100% in terms of their ability to express themselves individually or as a group if they wish,'' Carlisle said. The death of George Floyd in the custody of Minneapolis police in May sparked fresh questions across sports about kneeling during the anthem and the gesture has been seen from European soccer to North American auto racing.
SportsAFP NewsPope confident England can thrive without fans
England batsman Ollie Pope is adamant the absence of fans will have no bearing on England's intensity when they face the West Indies in next week's first Test. The Ageas Bowl will be devoid of any spectators on health grounds when international cricket returns for the first time since the global coronavirus pandemic on Wednesday's opening day of a three-match series. England got a taste of what to expect while playing a three-day intra-squad practice match at Hampshire's headquarters, between a side led by Jos Buttler and one captained by stand-in Test skipper Ben Stokes, that ended on Friday in a draw.
SportsAFP NewsJust our cup of tea! UK PM Johnson makes rapid virus cricket ban U-turn
British Prime Minister Boris Johnson said Friday he had called in the "third umpire" as he announced that recreational cricket would be allowed to resume on the weekend of July 11-12. In a radio interview earlier Friday, Johnson angered thousands of club cricketers by saying the amateur game was still not safe to play amid the coronavirus pandemic because of issues surrounding communal teas and dressing rooms. Johnson had already provoked a furious response from the likes of former England captain Michael Vaughan by saying last month a cricket ball was a "vector of disease" despite recreational tennis and golf having already resumed amid the COVID-19 outbreak.
SportsAFP NewsQuintana hit by car on training ride in Colombia
Colombian Tour de France hopeful Nairo Quintana was knocked down by a car in central Colombia on Friday but said he was feeling "good." "This morning I was hit by a car ... I had no way of seeing it," said the 30-year-old in a video published on Twitter. The winner of two Grand Tours, who was on a training ride with his brother and teammate Dayer, said he hurt his right knee, left thigh and left elbow.
SportsYahoo Sport UKO'Brien ready to step into league of his own as date with Downs destiny beckons
In a race with many imitations but no true rival, Aidan O’Brien is primed to move himself beyond the storied legends of Derbys past.
SportsAFP NewsAngels' Trout leery of virus as baseball training camp opens
Three-time American League Most Valuable Player Mike Trout said Friday he's not 100% sure he'll suit up for the Angels with the Major League Baseball season begins in late July. The Los Angeles Times reported that Trout told reporters in his first video conference of training camp that he and his wife, Jessica, have daily conversations about the possibility he'll sit out to avoid catching coronavirus. "I love baseball, but I have to do what's right for my family," Trout said.
SportsYahoo Sport UKWell-bred Murphy hoping to channel blood lines as Kameko bids for Classics double
Forget form lines, it's the blood lines that really matter in racing because this sport is all about the breeding - and it's not just the horses.
EntertainmentMMA WeeklyOutpouring of support for Khabib Nurmagomedov following his father’s death
There was an outpouring of support for Khabib Nurmagomedov on Friday following the passing of his father. Among the first to issue his condolences was upcoming opponent Justin Gaethje.Khabib's father, Abdulmanap Nurmagomedov, died following health complications stemming from his battle with COVID-19. The elder Nurmagomedov suffered a heart attack and stroke, which eventually led to his death.Numerous UFC fighters and personalities issued their support for Khabib and his family following the tragic news.* * *RELATED > UFC champ Khabib Nurmagomedov’s father dies following COVID-19 complications* * *https://twitter.com/Justin_Gaethje/status/1279078907073961986https://twitter.com/kennyflorian/status/1279084907348627456https://twitter.com/DiegoBrandaoMMA/status/1279083502600966146https://twitter.com/AliAbdelaziz00/status/1279034998377418752https://twitter.com/ILLxWillBrooks/status/1279083211172327424https://twitter.com/RTSportNews/status/1279081347580137473?s=20https://twitter.com/TheOneASB/status/1279080179466264578https://twitter.com/Dynamitedan808/status/1279080075468496899https://twitter.com/jonfitchdotnet/status/1279079827840987136https://www.instagram.com/p/CCL33JnJIBS/?igshid=wb4nv6hx7p97https://twitter.com/criscyborg/status/1279075782359318529https://twitter.com/LeoSantosbjj/status/1279075097412763648https://twitter.com/Jon_Anik/status/1279019691718127617 https://www.instagram.com/p/CCLz_yIF99y/https://twitter.com/Alistairovereem/status/1279070541471776768https://twitter.com/bisping/status/1279069015311253511https://twitter.com/Markcolemanmma/status/1279067595493257217https://twitter.com/bullyb170/status/1279065863736492034https://twitter.com/dillondanis/status/1279046389201276928https://twitter.com/MMARLONMORAES/status/1279035778031669250https://twitter.com/Nikohybridprice/status/1279033150035750912https://twitter.com/timsylviamma/status/1279020841016135682https://twitter.com/DustinPoirier/status/1279086943561752577https://twitter.com/Latifimma/status/1279082902651895813https://twitter.com/IKEVF/status/1279094162965491712https://twitter.com/BlessedMMA/status/1279096216660242432https://twitter.com/btsportufc/status/1279093759368499200https://twitter.com/chitoveraUFC/status/1279099198298902529
SportsAFP NewsEnglish counties allowed two overseas players per side from 2021
England's 18 first-class counties will be allowed to field two overseas players per side in domestic four-day and 50-over matches from 2021, the England and Wales Cricket Board announced Friday. Teams are currently allowed to field only one overseas player, though foreign-born cricketers with British passports and those on Kolpak deals are classed as 'home' registrations. As is currently the case, two overseas players per side will continue to remain the rule in Twenty20 Blast matches.
- SportsAFP News
Wolff wary Red Bull's Mercedes protest may tarnish opening race
Mercedes team chief Toto Wolff on Friday urged his Red Bull counterpart Christian Horner to be wary of the potential dangers created by a technical protest at this weekend's season-opening Austrian Grand Prix. Horner said he intended to seek clarification of the legality of Mercedes' innovative dual-axis steering system (DAS) from race officials. Wolff said he respected Horner's position, but added that he hoped the sport's comeback race after the Covid-19 pandemic would not be overshadowed by a technical argument on Sunday night.
SportsYahoo SportsSteven Adams jokes he stayed sharp for NBA restart by 'boxing out cows' on family farm
Literal cows. On his family farm.
SportsAFP NewsSailors resume racing with icy warm-up for Vendee Globe
To allow sailors to get back into shape for the Vendee Globe single-handed round-the-world race in November, the organisers have introduced a prologue: the Vendee-Arctic. The race starts on Saturday afternoon in Les Sables d'Olonne in the French Vendee with 20 skippers, all would-be entrants in the main round-the-world race. Most of them will be setting out to test themselves and their boats, while some will be racing to qualify for the Globe, which sets off from Les Sables d'Olonne in November.
SportsAFP NewsExtraordinary prosecutor to investigate meetings between Swiss legal chief and FIFA boss Infantino
An extraordinary prosecutor was appointed Friday to examen criminal complaints made against Switzerland's attorney-general Michael Lauber and FIFA president Gianni Infantino. The Office of the Attorney General (OAG) said that Stefan Keller, president of the country's Supreme Court as well as of the Administrative Tribunal of the Canton of Obwalden, will "examine the criminal complaints transmitted to the OAG by the presidents of the Federal Council". The complaints target Lauber and Infantino "as well as other people", the OAG's statement said.
SportsAFP NewsEnglish Premiership rugby clubs to resume contact training
English Premiership rugby clubs will be allowed to return to contact training on Monday ahead of a planned resumption of the 2019/20 season in August, officials have announced. The clubs have been involved in non-contact work since early June after the coronavirus pandemic forced the suspension of the campaign on March 16. "This is a significant milestone in our journey to restarting Gallagher Premiership Rugby, as we stay on track to resume the league on Saturday, August 15, if it remains safe to do so," said Premiership Rugby chief executive Darren Childs on Friday.
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